Jeremiah 13
13
Linen Waistband and Wine Jugs
1Thus Adonai said to me: “Go, and buy yourself a linen waistband and put it around your waist, and do not put it in water.”
2So I got a waistband in keeping with the word of Adonai, and put it on my waist.
3Then the word of Adonai came to me a second time, saying:
4“Take the waistband that you bought, which is on your waist, and get up, go to Perath and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.”
5So I went and hid it at Perath, as Adonai commanded me.
6Now it came to pass after many days that Adonai said to me: “Get up, go to Perath, and take the waistband that I commanded you to hide there.”
7So I went to Perath, dug it up and took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it. But to my surprise, the waistband was marred, worth nothing at all.
8Then the word of Adonai came to me, saying,
9thus says Adonai: “Just so I will mar the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10This wicked people, who refuse to hear My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their own heart, and go after other gods to serve them and worship them, will be just like this waistband—worth nothing at all.
11For just as the waistband clings to a man’s waist, so I will make the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to Me,” declares Adonai, “to be to Me a people, a name, a praise and a glory. But they would not obey.”
12Moreover, speak this word to them, thus says Adonai, the God of Israel: “Every jug should be filled with wine.” When they say to you, ‘Don’t we know very well that every jug should be filled with wine?’
13Then you will say to them, thus says Adonai, ‘I am about to fill all the inhabitants of this land—even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the kohanim, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness.
14And I will smash them against each other, even fathers and sons,’ says Adonai. ‘I will show no pity, nor regret, nor compassion, to keep Me from destroying them.’”
Darkness and Downfall
15Hear and give ear! Do not be haughty! For Adonai has spoken.
16Give glory to Adonai your God, before it grows dark, and before your feet stumble on mountains at dusk. When you look for light, He turns it into the shadow of death, and turns it into deep darkness.
17But if you will not listen, my soul will sob in secret before such pride, and my eyes will weep bitterly and overflow with tears, for Adonai’s flock will be taken captive.
18Say to the king and the queen mother: “Sit down low, for your glorious crown has fallen from your head.”
19The towns of the South will be shut up, with no one to open them. All Judah is taken into exile— utterly swept into exile.
20Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock given to you, Your beautiful sheep?
21What will you say, when He sets up the allies you cultivated for yourself, over you as head? Will not labor pains seize you, like a woman in travail?
22Suppose you say in your heart, “Why did these things happen to me?” Because of your great iniquity, your skirts are uncovered and your heels suffer violence.
23Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Or the leopard his spots? So, could you do good, that are accustomed to doing evil?
24“Therefore I will scatter them like drifting straw in the desert wind.
25This is your lot, the portion measured for you from Me.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “For you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood.
26Therefore I will also uncover your skirts over your face, expose your shame.
27Your adulteries, your lustful neighings, the lewdness of your prostitution— on the hills in the field I have seen your loathsome acts. Oy you, Jerusalem! You are unclean! How much longer?”
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Jeremiah 13: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Jeremiah 13
13
A Linen Belt
1The Lord said to me, “Go and buy a linen belt. Put it around your waist. But do not let it get wet.” 2So I bought a belt, just as the Lord had told me to do. And I put it around my waist.
3Then another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 4“Take off the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist. Go to Perath. Hide the belt there in a crack in the rocks.” 5So I went and hid it at Perath. I did just as the Lord had told me to do.
6Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go to Perath. Get the belt I told you to hide there.” 7So I went to Perath. I dug up the belt. I took it from the place where I had hidden it. But it had rotted. It was completely useless.
8Then another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 9“In the same way, I will destroy Judah’s pride. And I will destroy the great pride of Jerusalem. 10These people are evil. They refuse to listen to what I say. They do what their stubborn hearts want them to do. They chase after other gods. They serve them and worship them. So they will be like this belt. They will be completely useless. 11A belt is tied around a person’s waist. In the same way, I tied all the people of Israel to me. I also tied all the people of Judah to me like a belt. I wanted them to be my people. They should have brought me fame and praise and honor. But they have not listened to me,” announces the Lord.
Wineskins
12“Tell them, ‘The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, “Every wineskin should be filled with wine.” ’ Here is what the people might say to you. ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13If they do, here is what you must tell them. ‘The Lord says, “I am going to fill with wine everyone who lives in this land. I will make the kings who sit on David’s throne drunk. And I will fill with wine the priests, the prophets and everyone who lives in Jerusalem. 14I will smash them against one another. I will punish parents and children alike,” announces the Lord. “I will not feel sorry for them. I will not show them any kindness. My tender love for them will not keep me from destroying them.” ’ ”
Judah Will Be Taken Away From Their Land
15People of Judah, listen to me.
Pay attention and don’t be proud.
The Lord has spoken.
16Give glory to the Lord your God.
Honor him before he sends
darkness to cover the land.
Do this before you trip and fall
on the darkened hills.
You hope that light will come.
But he will turn it into thick darkness.
He will change it to deep shadows.
17If you don’t listen,
I will weep in secret.
Because you are so proud,
I will weep bitterly.
Tears will flow from my eyes.
The Lord’s flock will be taken away as prisoners.
18Speak to the king and his mother. Tell them,
“Come down from your thrones.
Your glorious crowns
are about to fall from your heads.”
19The gates of the cities in the Negev Desert will be shut tight.
There won’t be anyone to open them.
Everyone in Judah will be carried away as prisoners.
You will be completely taken away.
20Jerusalem, look up!
Your enemies are coming from the north.
Where is the flock you were supposed to take care of?
Where are the sheep you were so proud of?
21You have worked hard to make special friends.
But the Lord will let them rule over you.
Then what will you say?
Suffering will take hold of you.
It will be like the pain of a woman having a baby.
22Suppose you ask yourself,
“Why has this happened to me?”
It’s because you have committed so many sins.
That’s the reason your skirt has been torn off.
That’s why your body has been treated so badly.
23Can people from Ethiopia change their skin?
Can leopards change their spots?
It’s the same with you.
You have always done what is evil.
So how can you do what is good?
24The Lord says, “I will scatter you like straw
that the desert wind blows away.
25This is what will happen to you.
I have appointed it for you,” announces the Lord.
“You have forgotten me.
You have trusted in other gods.
26So I will pull your skirt up over your face.
Then people will see the shame of your naked body.
27They will see that you have not been faithful to me.
You have committed adultery with other gods.
And you have acted like a prostitute
who does not have any shame.
I have seen what you did
on the hills and in the fields.
And I hate it.
How terrible it will be for you, Jerusalem!
How long will you choose to be ‘unclean’?”
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